Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York, developed a course in practical writing skills for bilingual students as a means of reducing the dropout rate among vocational students, the largest group of Hispanic students in the institution. The objective was to provide writing skills through source materials with a practical orientation. Most of the 50 original participants were unable to register in or complete a college level course because of limited writing skills in either Spanish or English and inadequate general knowledge. The method's main features are that the student: (1) reads and analyzes, orally and in writing, current periodicals in both Spanish and English; (2) meets with other Hispanics in successful careers; and (3) has a bilingual Hispanic tutor. The course is designed to give adult students a feeling of accomplishment by using their own language and experience while learning to organize and express their ideas on paper, and it is recommended that it be taken in conjunction with English as a second language and reading for even more positive results. Foreign language teachers are in the best position to provide this practical transitional experience. (MSE)